According to Gov. Christie’s campaign manager, the governor is serious about lowering state income taxes. But according to the chairman of the NJ state Democratic Committee, the numbers just don’t add up to make Christie’s tax cuts a reality. Assemblyman John Wisniewski told NJ Today Managing Editor Mike Schneider that even though the economy is starting to rebound, state revenue collections are still less than the projections.
“Revenue collections are by, one estimate, $400 million less to $600 million less where this governor estimated they would be the preceding year,”” said Wisniewski. ‘You can’t give a $500 million or billion dollar tax cut if your revenue collections are less than they were than you projected.”
According to Wisniewski, the governor’s focus on income taxes reveal his priorities are with the state’s highest income earners because what working families need is relief on property taxes.
“This governor has cut the homestead rebate, this governor has cut aid to school districts,” he said. “When you look at it, property taxes have gone up 20 percent.”
Wisniewski expressed confidence in gubernatorial challenger Barbars Buono’s chances against Christie.
“She is a strong candidate and she will beat this man,” he said.
Despite Christie’s strong poll numbers, Wisniewski Christie is beatable because of a record that would be embarrassing for anybody to run on.
“Property taxes up 20 percent, three years of 9 percent unemployment, our pension system no better than it was when he took office– all things that he said he was going to fix.”